About
This bushy evergreen shrub 1.5-1.8m high with lance-shaped, glossy dark green leaves. From late spring to midsummer it produces large dome-shaped flowerheads of distinctively crimped cup-shaped pale pink flowers ringed with small red-purple spots just inside the rim.
About the genus
Kalmia are evergreen shrubs with simple, leathery leaves and racemes or corymbs of bowl-shaped flowers in spring or summer
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeClay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, North-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeShrubs
HabitBushy
FoliageEvergreen
Height2.5-4 metres
Spread2.5-4 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens
ToxicityHarmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs, cats, rabbits, tortoises): Harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
CultivationGrow in moist but well-drained acidic soil in partial shade or in sun where the soil remains reliably moist; mulch in spring with leaf mould or well-rotted pine needles
PruningPruning group 8
PropagationPropagate by semi-ripe cuttings in midsummer
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to honey fungus in gardens where it is present but insufficient data to determine degree of susceptibility